What Documents Do I Need for My Accident Claim?
If you have been injured in a car accident in Kentucky and another party is to blame, you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation for your losses. However, in order to ensure that you have a chance at recovering the full and fair compensation you deserve, it is important to keep track of several documents that will serve as evidence of the crash, the at-fault party’s liability, and the nature and extent of your injuries.
An experienced Louisville car accident lawyer can help ensure that you are able to collect and submit these documents properly. Here is what you’ll need to gather.
Accident Report
Kentucky law requires an accident to be reported to the police if anyone was injured or killed in the incident or if the collision resulted in at least $500 in damage to property. When a police officer responds to an accident, they will create a report that contains key information about the incident.
In some cases, people suffer injuries in car accidents without realizing it until later on. In situations like this, a police officer may not have come to the scene of the crash. However, it is necessary for anyone who has been involved in an accident to file a report themselves. Either way, an accident report is an absolute necessity if you wish to file a personal injury claim.
Medical Records and Bills
Your medical records are crucial to your personal injury case because they will have precise, professionally verified information about the cause, nature, and extent of your injuries. They will also serve as evidence of any treatment you received as a result of your injuries. Healthcare providers often charge a fee for these records, but the insurance companies are the ones who require access to them in order to evaluate your claim.
Your medical bills will serve as evidence of the impact of your accident-related injuries on your personal finances. Your attorney will want to see all these costs so that they know how much to claim for the medical expenses that you have had due to the accident.
Witness Statements
If there were witnesses to the collision, it is important that you gather copies of any statements any of them might have made to you or the police in the aftermath of the crash. These may be in written form or alternatively in the form of recordings such as on an officer’s dashcam. You should be able to file a Freedom of Information Act request for police dashcam footage.
Photographs of the Accident
Pictures of the immediate aftermath of the collision can give insurance companies a visual sense of the extent of the accident. Be sure to take photos of the incident from various angles so that you can be ready to present this evidence when you file your claim
Work Schedules and Employer Letters
It is common for injury victims to be forced to miss work after an accident. Sometimes this is because they need to spend a certain amount of time in the hospital as they recover. In other cases, an injury may leave a person with a temporary or permanent disability that prevents them from carrying out the duties of their job.
Either way, injury victims may claim compensation for the wages they have lost due to missed time at work. Keeping a detailed schedule of the time you should have been working, as well as a record of lost wages can help your attorney understand how much to claim in lost wages.
Contact a Louisville Car Accident Attorney Today
If you have suffered injuries in a car accident and you are considering filing a claim against the at-fault party, having an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side from the beginning of the process can make a considerable difference to your case. You may be approached by the at-fault party’s insurance adjuster soon after the accident, and they may offer you a quick and easy settlement that will not actually cover the extent of your losses. Tell them you are not prepared to speak with them until you have spoken to your attorney first.
The Louisville car accident attorneys of Sampson Law Firm are ready to fight for your best interests. We will make sure that you have the required documentation for the strongest possible claim, in addition to taking all the necessary steps to help you get the compensation you deserve. Call us at (502) 584-5050 or contact us online today.
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